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Cuban Comfort Food in Kearny, New Jersey: El Cubanito’s Cafe

At the tip of Kearny, where the Avenue ends and Ridge Road begins; lies a small restaurant with big potential. If you’re looking for something fancy, then your search continues since this all Cuban cuisines cafe houses stewed, grilled and baked goodies with an exotic homemade taste. El Cubanito’s Cafe’s menu seems pretty common. Breakfast dishes (which I have yet to try), pressed sandwiches, entrees and daily specials. But behind each simply described menu item lies the hard work put into infusing the flavors, creating aromas that when inhaled, trigger sensors that can’t help but go wild.

Ropa Vieja Sandwich- Between two pieces of Cuban bread, you will find shredded stewed steak meat, still dripping with the juices it cooked for hours in. Grilled and pressed to a crisp perfection, it pairs well with Swiss Cheese.

Oxtail Stew Special- Only made on Saturdays so make sure you order before they sell out. Seasoned in authentic Cuban flavors, the meat is tender and paired with your choice of white, or yellow rice and beans. The oxtails could have cooked a tad longer to fall of the bone with less effort, but made up for it with satisfying spices that won’t overpower the palate.

Mamey Milkshake- One of the most intriguing shakes I’ve ever had. The Mamey fruit is often compared to sweet potato in shape, size, color and at times, even in flavor. The fruit is high in Vitamins A, C and B-6 as well as a great source of Iron and Magnesium. This sweet shake had a slight caramel after taste with layers of flavor. Savor those layers since it is guaranteed to go quickly!

You are instantly treated like family upon arrival. The prices are ridiculously low and they deliver outside of Kearny. If you’re in the mood for an exotic sandwich, shake or stew for incredibly low prices, this is the spot for you.

Kymberlee Fajardo is a freelance food writer and food culture photographer. A culinary school graduate with experience as a line cook in fine dining, South East Asian street market food in NYC, farm to table in Upstate NY, as well as contemporary comfort food in Northern, NJ. Eventually combining her passion for cooking and writing to pursue her career as a food writer. She maintains her own food blog, Free Spirit Eater and regularly contributes to Dialect Magazine and Madly Juicy as well as other food related websites.